No crime in owners' frugality

I found The Blade article about basset hound rescue challenges interesting. After being a long-term previous hound owner, my family and I went through the foster application for the local Basset Hound Rescue. As they did a background check, they found that we had bought heartworm medication through a Canadian pharmacy. With Canadian pharmacies offering this medication at a 20 percent to 40 discount, this is cost-effective. But it disqualified us from the foster and adoption process.

When I bought these meds online, my vet was aware and supported that decision. My family is a caring, responsible dog-loving family. We never have had issues with spending what is necessary to care for our pets.

Instead of keeping these animals in costly shelters, disqualifying appropriate owners, forcing potential owners to go to backyard breeders, and increasing euthanization rates, this group should change the focus on placing abandoned animals into caring homes.

Michael Oberle

Sylvania

Anyone who travels often for work or otherwise knows how crowded, inconvenient, and annoying some airports can be.

I've done my fair share of business travel, and have had far too many awful experiences to recount. But having just returned from a quick visit to the Toledo area to visit family, I was reminded of what a great asset Toledo Express is.

It's a breeze to get in and out. The people working there - from those staffing the ticket counters to the TSA officers - are friendly, helpful, and professional. And most of all, it's a convenient drive for anyone living in northwest Ohio.

Of course, more service would be welcome, but the only way that will happen is if area residents take advantage of existing service. It's a bit disheartening to see the facility so underutilized.

To the port authority: Forget about the untested start-ups, and focus on winning back established carriers. The whole JetAmerica debacle reminded me of an episode of The Simpsons where a huckster sold Springfield on a defective monorail.

To area residents: Appreciate what you have, support the airport, and patronize the airlines that serve it.

Delta, American, and Allegiant Air continue to support the community by providing service. Airlines are not in a position to operate money-losing routes for any period of time.

Don't risk additional service cuts by looking to Detroit for all of your air travel needs.

Joel Weiden

New York City

Editor's note: The writer is a former Sylvania resident.

When The Blade interviewed Toledo's Imam, Farooq Abo-Elzahab, after the massacre at Fort Hood, he said, "Islam teaches that all life is sacred," and that "it is forbidden to kill yourself."

If that is true, why are we seeing suicide bombers attacking not only Westerners, but also their own people in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia? Shiites bomb Sunnis mosques and Sunnis bomb Shiite mosques.

What is going on here? Why is there an orgy of self-destruction?

We are facing a religion and culture that are spawning too many people bent on self-destruction and the destruction of others. Radical Islamist terrorists have become the public face of Islam.

Somehow, Muslim leaders must find a way to reverse this trend.

Robert A. Kelso

Indian Ridge Road

While I am neither pro nor con Tom Skeldon and his practices as dog warden, I believe that the blame is being misplaced.

A recent writer stated that the humane society was full when she tried to place a young Lab there, and she was forced to take the dog to the county shelter. She stated she has worried since about the dog's fate.

Candlelight vigils have been held honoring dogs euthanized at the shelter. In my opinion, the shelter and its practices are not the root of the problem.

Take a look at the classified section of the papers. Hundreds of ads are run every year, featuring pups spawned by backyard breeders.

These so-called breeders, along with puppy mills, are responsible for much of the dog overpopulation. Notice in the ads how many female dogs are priced higher than male dogs. This is because females can be bred.

How many dogs are bred because mom and dad want to show little Susie and Timmy the miracle of life? Rent a video for goodness' sakes.

Getting a dog? Did you thoroughly research the breed?

Working breeds need to be active, so when the dog you have is too hyper for the family who wants a dog that lounges in front of the fireplace, where does the dog end up?

You bought a Great Dane and didn't realize she'd get so big? Hey, she's not a Chihuahua!

Now, who's at fault for the number of dogs being euthanized at the shelter when the humane society overflows?

Karen Callinan

Floyd Street

Commissioner Ben Konop, et al, need to stop focusing on what's a sympton of a much larger problem in Lucas County and the country.

The problem is not Tom Skeldon and the number of animals euthanized: the problem is irresponsible pet owners who force us to have a need for pounds, wardens, humane societies, and rescue shelters. If you want to cut this number down, let's attack this problem.

Another point: My wife and I adpoted a dog from the Toledo Humane Society last year that had come from the dog warden four days earlier.

We were told he was one of the lucky ones because the humane society had room to take only a few from the pound at that time. For the humane society to now say they will take all the pound has seems contradictory from my experience.

Dave Ross

Maumee

Your coverage about how many dogs have been put to sleep and the push to oust the dog warden is laughable.

In this recession, does it occur that maybe people can't keep dogs or adopt animals because of changes in family finances?

Does it occur that, although it may break an owner's heart to give his dog to the pound, that that is the humane thing to do?

As for adoption, many people can't afford to shell out an extra $50 or more a month for pet food and ongoing care.

The puppy adoption-pushers don't get it. What a shame that you wasted newsprint and reporters' time chasing this.

It looks like your illustrious newspaper is going to the dogs.

Donna Kirk

Greenview Drive

It is, in my opinion, a total mistake to construct a casino away from downtown Toledo.

With the sports arena, Mud Hens stadium, Uptown business district, Marina District, Toledo Museum of Art, and St. Clair Street shops, why would anyone imagine that any other place nearby should get a casino?

The casino should be in downtown so the dead spaces of the city can awaken. Let's put true creativity to work.

KENNETH CUNNINGHAM

Collingwood Boulevard

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